It had been two hours since Isha had left for her three year anniversary dinner with Krish. So far so good, not that there was anything bad waiting to happen but Gauri did have some intuition that something was off about the whole vibe. Gauri decided to shrug off the feeling and decided to help her mother.
"So? Whatcha doing?" Gauri asked in a dramatic way.
Janki giggled at her daughter's childish behaviour, but she didn't mind. However old a person gets, they should never forget their childish side- were Janki's thoughts.
"I am making a little something for my beautiful daughters." Janki replied smiling.
"Oh, what's that 'little something'?" Gauri asked, looking around the kitchen.
"Kheer. The way you and Ms Architect like." Janki answered and removed the vermicelli from one of the boxes that were on the racks.
"Lucky us!" Gauri exclaimed and took the box from her mother's hand.
"Sauté the vermicelli and wait for it to get a little brown." Janki explained to Gauri and Gauri followed.
Gauri put the pan on the gas and followed her mother's orders.
"No-no. Lower the gas!" Janki exclaimed as she turned the gas knobs to low which Gauri had kept on high.
"Why? They'll get brown on high, just faster. The low will take forever." Gauri frowned.
"It's supposed to be cooked on low. Remember, cooking should be done with love, time and patience. You don't just cook the food, you put your love in it. The slow cooking process is what will give it its ultimate taste." Janki explained.
"Oh. Sorry, but what's the difference anyways? Low or high, it's gonna become the same brown." Gauri asked.
"The difference is time and taste. Learn to give things a little time. When you cook it on a high, it will get brown and a little late and it will burn to ashes. Cook it on a low, it will unfold its taste on its own and there are very less chances of burning and it will not only become brown, but golden brown." Janki explained and it hit something in Gauri.
To give time to every situation, to every problem and to let it unfold on its own. Her mother was a genius, giving a very important life lesson while cooking a small sweet dish.
"Thanks. I get it now." Gauri replied with a genuine smile.
"Good."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Remember Mr & Mrs Shetty?" Janki asked and Gauri nodded.
"Our neighbours? Of course, how could I forget them? Mrs Shetty gave me my first nail paint." Gauri remembered.
"Yeah, them. They moved away about a month ago and today they have a housewarming party at their house. We are invited- well I am, but you should come along. It would be a nice surprise for them." Janki said as she continued making the dish.
"Oh? Is it alright if I skip it? Have you told them that I am here?" Gauri asked, sitting on the kitchen platform.
"No, not yet. Why do you want to skip it? Isha's not at home, she's going to have fun- you should too" Janki spoke.
"Well, I was hoping to stay home all the time I was here. That's why." Gauri explained in a timid voice, hoping her mother would let her stay home.
"It's alright. I'm really sorry, I can't miss this one. I hope you know I would if I could." Janki explained.
"Mum! It's alright. You should go, after all they are like our family. I'll be alright here." Gauri assured.
After her mother had left for the housewarming party Gauri was all alone in the house. With nothing better to do, she decided to watch movies.
